[dizzyblonde07842]

If someone would have told me 2 years ago I would be in this situation, I would have laughed at them. But here I am. What has caused this? Well I trusted my doctors I guess.
2 Years ago I was healthy in body and mind, first I stopped taking my hormones, I am 60 now. Then I developed a severe case of vertigo after hittting my head and was not treated for a concussion, even though now 2 years later my present doctor says I MUST have had one. After going to ER I was emmediately put on Lorazapan 2 for anziety, then my heart rate went up to dramatically, they also put me on propanolol to slow it down, well then I developed depression so they added Lexapro 10. My whole being went under a dramaric change, I gained 40 lbs, my knees started to give out, I had knee surgery, I ran out of Lorazapan and didnt know it was a narcotic, and in 4 days ended up in an ambulance with vitals of 230/203--withdrawel severity. Of course they put me right back on it, but now have finally gotten down to 1/4 of a #2 tablet. I didnt know you couldnt cold turkey Lexapro, so I did 2 weeks ago and am now, having irregular pulse, dizziness, ups and downs in my blood pressure and bouts of depression. Well after reading everybodys posts, I emmediately took my pill and decided to drift off gradually. I'm scared, For the first time in my life, I am in complete mistrust of doctors, I dont even know if I needed any of the meds they started me on and have bbeen taking them for 2 years. Today, my mind is buzzing, literlally. My heart rate is too low, 49, my vitals are 145/75, but my site is seeming to blurr, and I am so dizzy at times. For the past 2 nites, I wake up every 2 hours. Has anyone had any problems like this or anywhere similar? What did you do.?

[melinda7.5]

Hi dizzyblone
My doctor did the same thing to me.I was taking klonopin to relax my mussels and for anxiety,I took it for about 3 years,I didn't know you weren't suppose to stop suddenly taking it.I did,that wasn't fun.LOL
I was also taking propanolol for bp and i gained weight from all the meds i was on.
there is a thread on here about lexapro with drawl,if you cant find it let me know and i will pull it up for you.
The good news is your going to be ok,please don't be scared,I was thinking all the same things 6 months ago,but i don't take any meds now,and i have almost lost the weight i have gained.
have you told your doctor you want off all of your meds ?
please keep posting and let us know how you are...
Melinda

[dizzyblonde07842]

Hi Melinda
Thank you for your reply, sometimes you feel like youre the only one, and it helps immensely to know that there are hundreds if not thousands that have the same problem. I have read almost all the posts of Lexapre and was shocked to see so many, and at what they had to say. And you know, after taking my Lexapro immediately after reading those posts, I began to feel better. But I dont want to be on meds I dont need or meds that will cause my body and mind to withdraw. I just want to be me again.
I am also on darvecets for pain to add to all the things I am on for no good reason, it gets scarey sometimes to think what doctors can put you on thinking it is the cure all.

[melinda7.5]

Hi Dizzyblonde
My doctor had me on so many pain pills you would not believe me if i told you.LOL,That caused my depression,because i have never been depressed in my life till then.I said the same thing you did,I just want to be me again...
and i am,are you doing a slow taper on the lorazapan just wondering what your plan is?
melinda

[dizzyblonde07842]

Yes, I have been on a slow taper on the Lorazapan, believe it or not I was on almost the # 2s at 4 a day..I am finally down to 1/4 of a #2....

[melinda7.5]

Hi Karen (seen it on the other post)
If you ever need us we are around here all the time.
keep posting and let us know how you are doing...
talk to ya later,melinda

[sisterwin2]

Dizzy.... your doing great. Congrats on the reduction. Keep it up slow but surely.

We will all be praying for you

Have you thought about a support system when your able to get out of the house??

Sister

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde07842

Yes, I have been on a slow taper on the Lorazapan, believe it or not I was on almost the # 2s at 4 a day..I am finally down to 1/4 of a #2....

Just a couple of suggestions on tapering off the ativan (lorazepam). This is a fast acting benzo, much like xanax. There is a right and wrong way to taper off any benzo.

Just so you know some of my history I was taking 15-20mg per day of xanax along with 6-8mg of klonopin. Used them for over 25 years. Won't go into all the opiates and everything else at this time. Benzo detox almost killed me literally. Went through seizures, electric shock syndrome, all kinds of nonsense. Had to be hospitalized for close to a month, and that was following over three weeks in rehab. I am now a militant benzo hater. They are trash when used for a long time. They are meant to be used for maybe ten days. After that they worsen depression and anxiety both unless you take larger doses on an ongoing basis. I hate benzos.

I commend you on the success you have had. Trust me however that the way you are doing this will result in severe w/d symptoms at even low doses. If you are going to taper off a fast acting benzo with such a short half life as ativan, even the remaining part of your detox would be much easier using valium first or klonopin second. Valium has the longest half life of all benzos and klonopin is next. This is the proper way to taper off benzos ... with a long lasting benzo, not a fast acting one that is out of our system in about 12 hours. The short half life is why you have such severe w/d symptoms from benzos. See the following link ....

http://www.benzo.org.uk/bzequiv.htm

This shows the benzo half life differences between the individual meds. Also shows equivalances between medications.

You have been given entirely too many drugs. They are giving you drugs to compensate for side effects of other drugs. What a bunch of nonsense. Promise you lots of us have been there. Drs had me on a total of 16 scripts for different problems at one time. I finally had to fire five specialists and turn everything over to my rheumatologist. The drs weren't communicating with each other. Didn't even know what all I was taking. And these were specialists, supposedly not flake drs.

When we are dependent on drugs our mind convinces us our pain and discomfort is worse than it would be if we weren't dependent. Addiction in itself is painful. If you get off the drugs you will be able to see what your real level of pain is. Then you can act accordingly without being influenced by the dependency you suffer at this time. Good luck and God bless.

[dizzyblonde07842]

Thanks sooooooooooooo much for everyone. Actually, I have been so afraid, and now, Im not so afraid as angry. But I am going to a new doctor this coming week as I have moved 400 miles away from the others. She is studying my file, I will tell her I want off these things. I want to be normal again, I cant stabd to live like this. I know that there are people who have been in worse condtion and I just CAN imagine what they have been going through and my heart goes out to them an am so happy to see that there is an end to this story, someday, somehow, sometime.